Step 1: Prepare Your Mug Lightly spray the bottom of your microwave-safe mug with cooking spray. This simple step prevents sticking and makes for much easier eating and cleaning later. I find this trick especially helpful after a long day of grilling when I want minimal cleanup.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt directly into your prepared mug. Stir these ingredients together until they’re well combined. This step is crucial because it ensures that the leavening agent is evenly distributed throughout the flour, which helps prevent any unpleasant baking soda or baking powder bites in your finished cake.

Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients Now it’s time to add the milk, canola oil (or melted butter), and vanilla extract to the mug. Stir everything together until you have a smooth batter, making sure to scrape the bottom of the mug to incorporate any dry ingredients that may have settled there. The mixture should be smooth but not too thin similar to a thick brownie batter.

Step 4: Add Chocolate Chips Stir in the chocolate chips. These will melt during cooking and create pockets of molten chocolate throughout your cake. You can customize these chips to your preference dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even butterscotch chips if you’re feeling adventurous!

Place your mug in the microwave and cook on high power for 70-90 seconds. The exact time will depend on your microwave’s wattage, so you may need to experiment a bit. The cake is done when it’s set but still slightly shiny on top. Don’t worry if it’s still a little jiggly in the center it will continue to cook from residual heat. After microwaving, let the cake rest in the microwave for 1 minute before eating. This resting time allows the cake to finish setting and reduces the risk of burning your mouth on molten chocolate a common occurrence when we’re too eager to dive into this delicious treat!